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INDUSTRIAL A N D ENGINEERIhrG CHEMISTRY
Vol. 17, No. 5
NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE A. C. S. Committee Reports COMMISSION ON STANDARDIZATION O F BIOLOOlCAL STAINS
The Commission on the Standardization of Biological Stains came into being as a result of the difficulties of biologists in procuring stains which would function satisfactorily, after the supply of imported material was shut off during the late hostilities. The National Research Council started a n investigation of the situation and organized a committee, which functioned for some time, until its work developed to the stage where it was deemed wise t o launch it as a separate commission. Since that time, the work has been carried on by the commission, which is composed of representative biologists and other scientists. The direction of the commission is vested in its executive committee of five members each of whom, according to the constitution of the commission, must be a duly qualified representative of one of the national scientific societies. Since there are only five members of this executive committee, it has been agreed that when a member ceases to represent his national society, he can no longer function on the committee, and his place must be filled by the representative of a society not already represented. Hence, continuity of representation is essential for membership on this important committee. The commission early realized that cooperation with the chemists was necessary for the accomplishment of its work, and elevated the writer to membership on its executive committee in order to secure the closest possible cooperation and chemical guidance in its efforts. The commission has a twofold objective: (1) by cooperation of the various types of biologists and chemists, to gather all available data regarding those properties of dyes which relate to their use as microscopic stains; (2) by cooperation with the manufacturers of dyes, to assure t h a t the stains available to American scientists are of the highest quality as shown by their chemical properties and, most important of all, by their performance in actual staining technic. The first object is being partly brought about by a series of publications and notes appearing in biological and other scientific publications. A book is a t present in preparation which will contain the history of staining technic and a description of all the dyes used in microscopic work. The second object is slowly being effected by a plan of certification of those batches of stain which have been found by actual test to be satisfactory. In this phase of the work, the manufacturers and dealers are in hearty accord with the commission and are aiding the work in every way possible. At the moment of writing, batches of the following stains have been certified: methylene blue, orange G, Sudan 111, basic fuchsin, crystal violet, methyl green, acid fuchsin, aniline blue water-soluble, pyronine, eosin yellowish, safranine 0, hematoxylin, methyl orange, Sudan IV, Bismarck brown, light green SF yellowish, brilliant cresyl blue, thionine, toluidine blue, cresyl violet, and Wright’s stain. The revenue of the commission is derived from contributions from the Chemical Foundation and dealers in stains, from the certification of the dyes for staining purposes, and from the sale of labels to be used on the certified batches. The work of the commission has been of great benefit in other important aspects. I t has revealed the fact that modern American dyes are often superior to the pre-war stains with which the biologists were supplied. They are generally purer and more concentrated. It has also revealed to the biologists that more basic research is needed on the technic of staining, with particular attention to the identity of the stain and the effect of impurities on the result. In some instances the impurities, rather than the chemical individual whose name appeared on the label, were found to be more important in certain phases of the work. The effect of hydrogen-ion concentration is also being investigated. In short, the biologists-and chemists, too-were amazed by the paucity of real scientific data in this important field. Staining technic developed, like so many other branches of science, in a haphazard, rule-of-thumb manner, and was really more an a r t than a science. Now, however, the subject is being reduced to a scientific basis as rapidly as is possible. Scientific specifications are being applied to the stains themselves in order to assure uniformity of material and of performance, and there is a movement starting toward establishment of simplified and improved man-
ner of procedure. This movement will require time, education of technicians, and close cooperation between all the biological sciences and chemistry before it can produce permanent results. One of the most noteworthy facts brought out by the commission’s work is the remarkable spirit of cooperation shown by the manufacturers and dealers. Their efforts to supply satisfactory stains and their willingness to experiment and follow up suggestions of the commission are very gratifying, particularly when it is considered that the volume of this business is small in point of poundage, and that consequently the profits are meager a t best, and often on the wrong side of the balance sheet. The outlook of the commission is bright. More stains will be certified as fast as the preliminary work, testing, and drawing up of specifications will allow. Facts and information regarding these dyes are developing fast and there is every indication that as this work progresses this phase of science will become a distinctive credit to this country. Continued support of the commission is needed and recommended. JOSEPH A. AMBLER, A , C. S. Representatioe
.............. COMMITTEE ON INDUSTBIAL ALCOHOL
Since the last annual meeting of the SOCIETY, the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives, which had granted a hearing on the Cramton Bill H. R. 6645, reported this bill out in an amended and somewhat less objectionable form than the original bill. During the closing days of Congress it was brought up in the House by suspending the rules, was amended so as to give the Prohibition Commissioner more control over industrial alcohol, and was passed and sent to the Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee to whom the bill was referred passed it back to the Senate, not only without having granted hearings, but without the formality of having given it regular consideration. Just before the adjournment of Congress last June, sponsors of the bill vainly sought to bring it to a vote in the Senate, but this was prevented and Congress adjourned, leaving the bill in a threatening position as a pending order of business to be taken up in December. Prior to the meeting of Congress last December, members of the SOCIETY,alcohol-using industries, and the Committee on Industrial Alcohol made such a strong demand on Senators and the Senate Judiciary Committee that the bill was referred back to this committee for hearings. Short hearings on the bill were granted in December and continued on January 7, 1925. A t these hearings, which were held before a subcommittee, the objectionable features of the bill were pointed out by numerous representatives of the industries, several of whom were members of the SOCIETY,and by the Industrial Alcohol Committee. In spite of this, the bill in slightly amended form was reported to the Judiciary Committee and by this committee to the Senate. It is a matter of some satisfaction that the arguments given before the committee were not without fruit, as they,formed the basis for a minority committee report against the blll and later furnished material that helped to defeat it when it was brought up on the floor of the Senate. During the closing hours of Congress, when it became apparent that the bill would meet with serious opposition, an effort was made to amend it so as to cut out every feature except the placing of the present Prohibition Unit under Civil Service. Opposition to the bill even in this form was voiced in the Senate and it was allowed to die without having been put to a vote. Thus far, those interested in the manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of industrial alcohol, both pure and denatured, have been content t o try to live up to existing laws, and have paid little attention to needed and prospective legislation until bills have actually been introduced. which would take away some of their rights and which have thus put them on the defensive. One after the other, these objectionable bills have been blocked by the industries, fighting with their backs to the wall to prevent unnecessarily burdensome restrictions from being placed upon the manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of alcohol. None of these measures would have added any authority actually helpful or necessary to prohibition enforcement. It is probable that bills of this kind will continue to be introduced and will again put the industries on the defensive unless
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHE*MISTRY
May, 1925
some definite constructive proposals come from the industries themselves. One such proposal that may be worked out satisfactorily, if the legitimate interests are given the consideration they deserve, is to establish the Prohibition Unit as a part of the Department of Justice and to give it all strictly prohibitive features of the law but none of those which regulate legitimate acts coming under the law, leaving these to a Division of Chemistry and Industrial Alcohol to be under the Commissioner of Internal Revenue. Several of the states have also taken up alcohol legislation during the past year and some bills of this kind are still pending. A bill has just been killed in Pennsylvania which would have been most drastic and even in some respects unconstitutional had it passed. This bill would have extended arbitrary authority over anything containing, or capable of developing, as much as half a per cent of a n y alcohol. This would have put very objectionable restrictions on the manufacture, sale, or use of all kinds of things, including even completely denatured alcohol and such things as tincture of iodine and glycerol. Great credit is due to a number residing in Pennsylvania for their of the members of the SOCIETY active opposition to this bill. In the opinion of the Committee on Industrial Alcohol the need for such a committee still exists, and it is highly desirable that it should have the backing of the entire membership of the SOCIETY in its efforts to show the need for the encouragement of the manufacture, sale, and use of alcohol for lawful purposes, and also in its attempts to have the administration of these lawful features placed under the direction of an experienced chemist trained in these matters, rather than under a prohibition commissioner who, though he may be given all necessary proper authority over actual prohibition matters, should be given no control over legitimate acts. MARTIN H . ITTNER, E. H. KILLKEFPER Chairman RAYMOND F. BACON
J. H. BEAL
EDWARD MALLINCKRODT, JR. R . H. MCKEE FREDERIC ROSENGARTFN
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mention in the papers of the value of study by a centralized laboratory organization. Such an organization should operate with the advice of the present national corrosion committees. It would study the general problems which would not be undertaken by other laboratories but whose solution would be of direct value to many industries. The committee has discussed the possibility of taking certain constructive steps along this line, but full agreement as to action has not been reached. It does not believe that the building of new laboratories for the purpose is advisable. It stands ready to cooperate if such an organization is formed, as the laboratory work would be closely allied to this committee’s work as projected. ROBERTJ. McKhu, Chairman m’.s. CaLCoTT J. H. REEDY
A. E. STEVENSOX
W. G.
WHITXIAN
R E. WILSON
Calendar of Meetings American Oil Chemists’ Society-16th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, La., May 11 and 12, 1928. American Association of Cereal Chemists-Annual hIee:ing, St. Louis, Mo., June 1 to 5, 1925. Third National Colloid Symposium--University of Minnesota, Blinneapolis, Minn., June 17 to 19, 1925. American Society for Testing Materials-28th Annual Meeting, Atlantic City, N. J., June 22 to 26, 1925. American Institute of Chemical Engineers-Providence, R. I., June 22 to 27, 1925. Joint meeting with British Institution of Chemical Engineers, Leeds, England, July 13 to 23, 1925. National Chemical Equipment Association-Providence, R. I., June 22 to 27, 1925. American Chemical Society-70th Meeting, Los Angeles, Calif., august 3 to 8, 1925. American Electrochemical Society-Fall Meeting, Chattanooga, Tenn., September 24 to 26, 1925. National Exposition of Chemical Industries-New I’ork, X. Y., September 28 to October 3, 1925.
CORROSION COMMITTEE Since the last annual meeting the committee has continued to work with the Corrosion Committee of the h’ational Research Council. The chairman has met with that committee and discussed methods of procedure. He has agreed to furnish them with a short outline of the progress of this committee and, with the consent of the SOCIETY, will send them a copy of this report. As a logical first step in studying the theory of corrosion, a symposium was held before the Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry a t the Baltimore meeting. [THIS Reclamation of Automobile Crank-Case JOURSAL, 17, 335 (1925)). This symposium describes the status Oil-Correction of corrosion theory and should be a starting point for further work. Nearly all the leading authorities on corrosion in the In our article under this title [THISJOURNAL, 17, 416 (1923)] United States presented papers or took part in the discussion, the last paragraph on page 422 should read: and representative papers from other countries were secured. The following extract from the chairman’s introductory note The energy input is 280 watts for the rectifier, and 107 for the t o the symposium summarizes the situation in theoretical study : settling tank heater-387 in all, or between 0.27 and 0.31 kilowatt hour per liter (1 03 and 1 16 kilowatt hours per gallon) The last few years have been prolific producers of useful data. Worthof oil entered. while new alloys have been developed, and our knowledge of older metals a n d the factors of corrosion exterior to the metal has increased, thereby CHARLES VANBRUNTAND P. SCHUYLER MILLER opening new channels for research which promise t o be of extreme value. The striking corrosion-resisting properties of some new alloys are still unexplained. L ncovering of the laws governing this resistance t o corrosion, with the resulting development of better alloys, does not seem remote. Additions t o electrochemical theory have removed part of the past difficulties in applying electrical considerations t o predict the course of corrosion and explain present experience. The basic cause of pitting is clearer than ever before. Pitting seems t o be due more to differences in oxygen supply than in the metal. Investigators differ as to the exact mechanism of the action. This matter can be cleared up by further study, and from the results a method of preventing pitting might be expected. Quantitative work on the effect of dissolved oxygen is getting a t the basis of variations in corrosion rate in the same solution. This work applies t o almost all other corrosion study, and with these quantitative d a t a the other work can proceed where i t has been a t a standstill. The production and properties of films have been studied. Knowledge of how films may affect the course of corrosion has been obtained in special cases, but the acquisition of quantitative data has only begun. Microscopic study of the progress of corrosion has produced interesting results, and the possibilities for new results in studying film formation and electrochemical effects are great. The phenomenon of passivity is still unexplained, but the progress along other lines is so rapid t h a t we can reasonably expect it, if continued, to lead t o a solution of the passivity conundrum.
It would seem that the gaps in the knowledge as indicated might be readily filled by some correlated research, and there is
Production and Sales of Dyes Decline Preliminary figures compiled by the United States Tariff Commission indicate a domestic production for 1924 of about 67,000,000 pounds of coal-tar dyes, valued a t about $36,000,000. This quantity represents a 28 per cent decline from that of 1923, which was the largest in the history of the industry. The sales of dyes in 1924 were about 63,200,000 pounds, valued a t 833,800,000. This is a 27 per cent decrease in quantity and a 28 per cent decrease in value from sales during 1923. The principal reason .for this decline was the decreased activity of the textile industry. Among other contributing factors were: (1) stocks carried over from 1923, amounting to over 7,000,000 pounds; (2) increased imports following the 15 per cent reduction in the tariff, effective September 22, 1924; and (3) a reduction in exports amounting to 2,211,109 pounds. In 1924 commercial production in the United States of many valuable dyes was first reported. These include colors which have been previously imported, in certain cases in large quantities. In addition to the new vat dyes, the prototypes of diaminogen blue, trisulfon brown B, geranine, cyananthrol R X 0, and B G A 0 0 were produced. Other additions include representatives of each class of dyes applied to cotton, silk, wool, and leather, including several alizarin dyes.
